NORMAN - Oklahoma has a chance to notch another ranked victory Saturday night.
The No. 15 Kentucky Wildcats are riding high off a pair of overtime victories, and Brent Venables'team will be tasked with slowing down one of the more aggressive playcallers in the country, Will Stein.
OU's offense hopes last week's performance in the third quarter against Texas and the 19-second drill at the end of the game will serve as a foundation to build upon for the rest of the year.
Here are three Sooners who need to have a big night for Oklahoma to reel off a second-straight victory after its bye week.
The Sooners had a wrinkle to the starting offensive line against Texas.
Freshman Noah Best traded sides with Heath Ozaeta, earning his first start at left guard.
Best was excellent, moving bodies and getting downfield to try to clear space for the running game.
With the status of left tackle Michael Fasusistill up in the air , Best has been the Sooners' most available and most reliable offensive lineman in 2026 - something that won't change against Kentucky.
Pair Best's exploits with running back Lloyd Avant, who was credited with 57 rushing yards after contact per Pro Football Focus, and OU might be able to finally start to build a running game that can support quarterback John Mateerand Venables' elite defense.
To date, Manny Choice'scontributions have mostly been on special teams.
He had another against Texas in the form of a key tackle on punt coverage, but he's started to get more run with the offense.
Choice made a pair of catches against the Longhorns, giving Mateer a big target to hit on some easy rollouts.
If Choice can settle into that role, he could help Mateer settle into Saturday's contest with easy completions that can get the OU quarterback into a groove as Mateer looks to build on the final two completions he had to Isaiah Sategna against Texas.
With Parker Livingstonelisted as doubtful for the game on Thursday, Choice could have more opportunities to impact the contest.
Reggie Powershas settled into the cheetah spot nicely for Venables, providing sure tackling against the run and important work in coverage.
Oklahoma's cornerbacks will be tasked with slowing down the Wildcats' leading receiver, Kenny Darby.
But Kentucky has another major matchup nightmare.
Tight end Willie Rodriguezis the second-leading receiver with 28 catches for 219 yards and a score. Backup Henry Boyeris listed at 6-foot-6 and is used sparingly in the passing game and as a blocker on the ground.
The tight ends won't solely be Powers' responsibility, but a nice performance would help the OU defense nullify a key piece of Kentucky's offense.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/college/oklahoma as Three Oklahoma Players Who Need Strong Showings Against No. 15 Kentucky .
